Improvement in bee-hives



J. C. WHITE.

Improvement in Bee Hives.

No. 123,654. Patented Feb.13, 1312. 'g 1%:2-

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Wi Lnesaes Inventor PATENT DFFIGE.

JAMES 0. WHITE, OF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-'HIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,654, dated February 13, 1872.

Specification describing certain Improve- .ments in the Construction and Manufacture of Bee-Hives, invented by J. 0. WHITE, of Huntsville,' county of Madison and State of Alabama.

My invention relates to the construction of a bee-hive composed of five pieces-namely, two hollow cylinders, a bottom, top, andmiddle piece-s0 formed of any suitable material and by any suitable process into such shapes and of such material as will resist the gnawing appa- .ratus of all kinds of vermin, and of such weight that when the parts are properly put together they will resist slight forces tendin g to separate them. In addition to their weight any suitable cement maybe used, not only to secure the union of. the parts, but also to close the joints sufficientlyto keep out the bee-moth and water, and also to prevent the entrance of the air at points where it may not be desirable to have it enter.

Other results secured by my invention are cheapness in the manufacture of the bee-hive and cheapness and convenience in the transportation of it.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a complete bee-hive or bee-palace. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom plate. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the middle plate. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the same.

General Description.

- face down. These plates make joints with the hollow cylinders, and hold them by means of their short solid-cylinder formations, which enter and fit closely in the hollow cylinders, as

shown in Fig. 2.

The middle plate differs in form from the other merely in having the solid-cylinder formation to both upward and downward, so as to be embraced and held by both cylinders at the same time, and it should be perforated with a vertical hole for the passage of the bees from the lower to the upper cylinder. A little material and weight may be saved by hollowing out the lower faceof the middle plate, as shown in Fig. 2. Now, when the top cylinder D has been filled with honey it can be conveniently removed and replaced by a fresh one without much disturbing the bees. Near the bottom of the lower cylinder an aperture is made with an inclination upward from the outer surface to the inner surface, and this, as an entrance for the bees is, in a measure, protected from wind and rain by an overhanging protruding lip, a, as shown in the drawing. The rim of the lower plate B willbe used by the bees as an alighting-board. 1 1

Now, it is obvious from the foregoing description that these hives can be easily taken apart and packed for safe transportation, especially when they are made of different sizes. In that case the cylinders could be nested together like buckets and other hollow-ware.

The material of which the bee-hive is to be -made may be porcelain, clay, silica, or com-' pounds of any of the earths as bases with ingredients necessary to afford the desired qualities, in order to render it hard, strong, heavy, and smooth enough to secure the objects before mentioned, and in order that the parts may be shaped by any or all of the processes hereinbefore mentioned. But for the process of forming the parts and the material of which they shall be made, I make no claim in this specification, as I am advised that such claims might be properly subjects of another application; but, if when the parts are placed in proper position, their form and weight should not be sufficient to hold them together with sufficient tenacity, any suitable cement maybe used to hold them more strongly together as well as to close the joints against the bee-moth and water if need be.

It is obvious that proper apertures may easily be formed in the walls of the cylinders or plate for the admission of light and air. In such case care will be taken to form them so as to structed, arranged, end held together substanprevent the entrance of the moth and other tially in the manner and for the purpose devermin injurious to bees. scribed.

- J. .0. WHITE. Glomn. -7 7 v I claim as my invention Witnesses: A bee-hive, composed of the hollow cylinders JOHN D. BRANDON,

A and D and the plates E, O, and B, con- JNO. M. FARISS. 

